Torpedo



H. P. LENSEN-BEKRLUNDD.

TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1919.

H mm n Hm a PT Mm y s n m k. m P a 5 P 0 H. P. JENSEN-BEARLUNDD.

TORPEDO.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1919.

Patented Apr, 19, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 12111114 LLHHI 6 0/75 P 52 Z I zl HANS P. JENSEN-BEKRLUNDD, OF LISBON, PORTUGAL.

TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 19,

Application filed July 2, 1919. Serial No. 308,254.

torpedoes and has for its principal object to.

provide a controlling mechanism by which the torpedo is caused to travel in'a spiral path after it has traveled a predetermined distance from the launching point so, in case the target is missed, the torpedo is caused to travel in the zone ofthetarget or other objective until the target is'hit or the propelling force of the torpedo exhausted.

Another object is the provision of such mechanism as will maintain the torpedo at the proper depth below the surface of the water during 1ts travel.

With these and other objects inview as will appear as the description proceeds the invention comprises the novel features of construction combination of .elements and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described in'the following specification and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinalsectional view through the rear portion of the improved torpedo illustrating the controlling means in "detail,

Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical sec tional View on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 represents a fragmented plan view of the rear part of the torpedo illustrating the adjusting means for thevertical rudders in detail, r r

Fig. 4 represents a. fragmental plan view of one of the side or horizontal rudders,

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged sectional view through the fluid jpressure controlled piston, 4

= Fig. 6 represents an enlarged elevation of the controlling weight for one of the side or horizontal propellers; 7

Fig. 7 represents an interior elevation of the actuating weight, a

Fig. 8 .represents a fragmental sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. l,

Fig. 9 represents a. transverse sectional view through the adjusting screw forr the vertical rudders, 3

Fig. 10 represents a fragmental sectional view at rightangles to Fig. 9, Fig 11 represents a plan view of the adfragmental verticalpropeller shaft 11.

justment for the relatively stationary rudder, and,

. Fig. 12 is a torpedo.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numerals designate cor-,

diagram of the course of the responding parts throughout the several.

views, the numeral 10 indicates'the hollow torpedo body which is equipped internally with a preferred type of propelling mocha j nism (not shown) having connection with the propeller shaft 11 which extends through the rear terminal of the body and is connected with spiral propellers 12. A vertical partition 13 is arranged in the rear portion of the hollow body, providing a:

chamber 14 having a housing or inclosure for a part of the torpedo controlling mechanism forming part ofthe invention.

A vertical shaft 15 is journaled in suitable bearings provided in-the body 10 above and below the propeller shaft 11" and supports, at itsupper and lower terminals the ver- I .tical rudders 16. The medial portion of the vertical shaft 5 'inthe plane of the intersection with the shaft 11 is formed with a circular enlargement 17 accommodating the propeller shaft and permitting limited oscillatory movementof the rudders and vertical shaft.

An adjusting screw 18 is arrangedlongitudipally and externally ofthe body 10 in bearings 19- andis connected by beveled gearwheels 2Ov with the intermediate shaft 21 the lower terminal of which is mounted in a bracket 22 attached to the casingof the propeller shaft 11. The lower terminal of the intermediate shaft 21 is provided with a gear wheel 23 which meshes with a worm movement of-the shaft 21 and screw 18 is produced during rotary movement of the An abutment deslgnated generally by the .95' v 24 whereby a comparatively slow rotary numeral 25 is mounted upon the screw 18 1 and isadapted to be advancedby the threads thereon v during rotary movement' ofthe screw and to facilitate adjustment of the abutment longitudinally of the screw a retractable and internally threaded section 27 I is arranged in a recess; formed in the-bore of the abutment and-is connected with a short screw 27 which, by proper adjustment,

permits the threaded interior of the section '25 to be withdrawnfrom engagement .with

the screw threads of the screw 18 and thereby permit adjustment of the abutment longitudinally of the screw. The inner portion of the abutment is formed with guide fingers 28 which are arranged in sliding contact with the exterior surface of the body 10 to prevent rotary movement of the abut ment during operation of the screw and, as will be understood, the threads of the screw are so pitched as to cause the abutment to move forwardly of the torpedo body dur-. ing forward movement of the propeller under the influence of the blades 12.

A curved arm 29 is attached to the upper vertical rudder 16 at a point in front of the shaft 15 and the inner terminal of the arm is formed with a sharp cam-like curve disposed in the path of and engageable by the abutment 25. The extremity of the arm is extended in comparatively slight angular relation to the axis of the screw 18 so that as the abutment 18 approaches the forward terminal of the screw the vertical rudders 16 are permitted to move toward their initial position so as to gradually'increase the ra dius of the path of the torpedo as indicated in the diagram,Fig. 12. f

Horizontal rudders 30 by which the torpedo is maintained at a predetermined depth throughout its travel are pivotally mounted laterally of the body 10 on stub-shafts 31 the inner terminals of which are connected with beveled gear wheels 32 meshing with pinions 33 carried upon pivoted arms 34. depending from the inner portions of the stub-shafts 31. The pinions 33 are also meshed with gear segments 35 pivotally supported upon the inner terminals of the stubshafts31 and connected with weights 36 by which the gear segments are maintained in a predetermined position with relation to the vertical. V

A cylinder 34 is located in the.bedy 10 forwardly of the partition 13 andis connected by an elbow 35 with the shell-like body whereby water is admitted to the front portion of the cylinder. A fluid pressure actuated piston 36 is reciprocably mounted in the cylinder 34 and is normally retained in forwardly extended position the influence of an expansion coil spring 37 which is coiled about the pistonrod38 and is con fined between the piston and cylinder head 39. The rod 38 is preferably formed of two sections which are connected by a turn buckle 4-0 permittingthe length of the rod to be varied, as desired and therear extremity of the rod is provided with rearwardly directed forks having connection with the lower terminals of the dependingarms '34; as indicated at. &1 whereby the reciprocatory movement of the piston 36 is transmitted to the arms 34 oscillating the latter upon the shafts 31 and effectingautomatic adjust ment ofthe horizontal rudders 30 according to the pressure of the water in the cylinder 3% which, as will be readily evident, varies according to the depth at which the torpedo travels.

In operation, the torpedo is launched from tube or other launching device in the the torpedo hit the target it will explode in the usual manner before the automatic controlling mechanism becomes operative but, in case the torpedo misses the mark it will travel for a predetermined distance beyond the target and at such time the abutment 25 is engaged with the arm 29 thus rocking the shaft 15 and turning the'vertical rudders 16 to cause the torpedo to travel in a spiral path as suggested in Fig. 12. Asthe forward movement of the abutment progresseait moves opposite the angularly disposed forward terminal of the arm 29 thus permitting the vertical rudders to movetow ard their former position and so altering the course of the torpedo that it travels in a curved path gradually increasing in diameter according to the angularity of the vertical rudders with relation to the longitudinal axis of the body 10. As the motive power is consumed incident to the continued travel of the torpedo and failure to strike the target, the speed of the propellers 12 is accordingly decreased and the nose of the torpedo gradually lowers due to the inability of the propellers to maintain the body at a predetermined depth and consequently the increased fluid pressure on the spring actuated piston 36 moves the latter rearwardly together with the rod 38 and produces rearward swinging movement of "the depending arms 34 which, through the gear wheels 33 and 32 cause such automatic readpistment'of the horizontal rudders as to maintain the torpedo at the proper depth below the surface ofthe water. The weights 36 also operate to obtain the same result and as the nose ofthe torpedo sinks the position of the weights 36 with relation to the axis of the body 10 changes and a corresponding'movement of the horizontal rudders is produced through the gear segment 35, pinion 34c, and wheel 32.

A supplemental rudder 50 preferably mounted upon thebody 1O forwardly of the lower vertical rudder 16 and is held in adjusted position'by a serrated plate 51 engaging a gear segment 52 secured upon the supporting shaft of the supplemental rudder.

What I claim is: V

In combination, a torpedo .includin a body propelling means "therefor, a vertical ment to automatically adjust the] rudder during travel of the torpedo.

2. In comblnatlon, a torpedo including a body, propelling means therefor, a vertical.

rudder controlling the direction of travel of the torpedo, a screw connected with and 0perable by the propelling means, an adjustable abutment carried by the screw and operable thereby, and a curved arm carried by the rudder and engageable by theabutment to automatically adjust the rudder to cause the torpedo to travel in a spiral path.

3. In combination, a torpedo including a body, propelling means therefor, a vertical rudder controlling the direction of travel of the torpedo, a screw connected with and operable by the propelling means, an adj ustable abutment carried by the screw and operable thereby, and a curved arm carried by the rudder and engageable by the abutment to automatically adjust the rudder during travel of the torpedo, the extremity of the .arm being extended toward the screw to permit the rudder to gradually return to initial position during progress of the abutment.

4:. In combination, a torpedo including a body, propelling means therefor, a vertical rudder controlling the direction of travel of the torpedo, a screw connected with and operable by the propellingrmeans, an adjustable abutment carried by the screw and operable thereby, said abutment having sliding contact with the torpedo body whereby to prevent its rotation, and means carried by the rudder engageable by the abutment to" automatically adjust the rudder duringtravel of the torpedo. I 1 5. In combination, a torpedo including a body, propelling means therefor, a vertical rudder controlling the direction of travel of the torpedo, a rotatable screw, a drive worm carried by the propelling means, a shaft, driving connections between the opposite terminals of the shaft and the worm and screw, an adjustable abutment'operableby In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

HANS P. JENSEN-BEARLUNDD. I

i the screw, and means carried by the rudder 

